This invention relates generally to vertical blinds of the type that are conventionally installed in residential and commercial buildings and, more specifically, to apparatus and method for tying groups of slats of a vertical blind together.
Conventional vertical blinds generally comprise some selected number of slats having a single selected width over most of their length and a single selected thickness. The slats comprising a blind depend some selected distance from a horizontally disposed track and track mechanism. These blinds may be drawn to an open position, which may have all of the vertical slats stacked at one side of the blind, or which may have half of the slats at one side and half at the other. They may also be drawn to a closed position in which all of the vertical slats are evenly spaced across the width of the window or sliding glass door. When drawn to the closed position, the slats may be rotated in concert to a position in which they are parallel to the plane of whatever window or sliding glass door they are installed near, thereby completely blocking a view through the window or glass door. Alternatively, they may be rotated to a position in which they are perpendicular to the plane of the window or door, thereby permitting light to enter through the window.
Vertical blinds commonly offer one a dilemma if the window or door with which the blind is associated is to be opened for ventilation. If the blind is drawn to the closed position and the slats rotated so as to block direct sunlight or to obscure the inside of a room from outside viewers, ventilating air moving through the door or window rattles the blinds. This results in a generally unpleasant noise and may cause some of the slats to become misaligned with respect to their neighbors so as to require a manual adjustment by the user. In extreme cases the traversing and rotating mechanism or the slats themselves may be damaged. If the blind is drawn to the open position, the extent of slat rattling is diminished somewhat at the expense of undesired visibility or illumination. Moreover, if the blind is drawn to the open position, various of the blind slats can be tied or clipped to a wall adjacent the window or door, which may further diminish rattling, but which will not necessarily eliminate it.
Notable patented prior art relating to methods and apparatus for retaining window coverings include:
U.S. Pat. No. 5,947,177, wherein Kratzer teaches a xe2x80x9csun-tiexe2x80x9d for gathering groups of slats of a vertical blind so that a medial portion of each slat in a group is juxtaposed in an abutting relationship with other slats of the group. The sun-tie comprises a combination of a fixed xe2x80x9canchor pocketxe2x80x9d that can be slid over a selected slat and a clip having a fixed size into which the rest of the group of slats can be gathered. Kratzer relies on having some of the slats diverge laterally both above and below the sun-tie in order to keep the anchor pocket from sliding off the selected slat under the influence of gravity. This requires all the slats to be turned parallel to a window. Kratzer""s disclosure is herein incorporated by reference.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,692,553, wherein Jensen discloses a two-part slat-retaining clip having a first portion fixedly attached to a wall and a second portion for capturing a group of slats.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,654,002, wherein Kleinhammer teaches a drapery clip that removably fastens around a drape and that has an end fastened to a wall adjacent the window.
One aspect of the invention is that it provides a clasp for selectively retaining a first vertical blind slat adjacent at least a second vertical blind slat of a plurality of slats comprising a vertical blind. The groups of slats can be juxtaposed when the blind is a closed state, a drawn state or an intermediate state. This clasp comprises an elongate clip portion that comprises two parallel elongate legs flexibly connected together adjacent a first, permanently closed, end of the clip portion. These legs are spaced apart from each other, adjacent the permanently closed end of the clip portion, by at least the thickness of the blind slats that are to be retained. In addition, the respective ends of the legs distal from the permanently closed end of the clip portion are selectively movable toward and away from each other, and at least one of the legs has a respective leg length longer than the slat width. The clip portion also comprises a closure adjacent the second end of the clip portion for releasably connecting the respective distal ends of the two legs so as to define an enclosed area for retaining the first slat. In addition, the clasp comprises a tie-retainer adjacent a selected one of the two ends of the clip portion. The clasp further comprises a string-like tie portion having a length greater than the slat width. One end of the tie portion is attached to the clip portion adjacent that end of the clip portion distal from the tie-retaining portion, and the second end of the tie portion is selectively retained by the tie-retainer when the clip portion is disposed about the first slat and the second slat is retained adjacent to it. In a preferred embodiment, the tie is retained by the tie retainer at any of a selected number of positions so that the tie can be snugly wrapped around one or more other slats so as to retain the other slats in a tightly juxtaposed relationship to the first slat in order to provide a maximum resistance to rattling induced by moving air. In addition to wrapping about one or more of the slats, the tie can be passed around a cord or chain used to control the blind, or can be used to retain the group of slats to a hook or other fixed attachment point on a wall adjacent the window or door associated with the blind.
Another aspect of the invention is the provision of a combination of a clasp and a notched vertical blind slat having a selected slat width along its length except in a notched region where the width is locally reduced by the notch. This combination of the clasp and the notched slat is used for selectively retaining the notched vertical blind slat adjacent at least a second slat of a plurality of slats that make up a vertical blind. This clasp comprises a clip portion defining an elongate internal area having a length generally less than the selected slat width and a bit greater than the width of the notched slat when measured at a base of the notch. The clip portion further comprises two parallel elongate legs flexibly connected together adjacent a first, permanently closed, end of the clip portion and spaced apart from each other adjacent the permanently closed end of the clip portion. The respective ends of the legs distal from the permanently closed end of the clip portion are selectively movable toward and away from each other. In addition, the clip portion comprises a closure adjacent its second end for releasably connecting the respective distal ends of the two legs so as to close the clip portion about the notched portion of the notched slat. There is also a tie-retainer adjacent a selected one of the two ends of the clip portion. The clasp further comprises a string-like tie portion having a length greater than the selected slat width. One end of the tie portion is attached to the clip portion adjacent that end of the clip portion distal from the tie-retaining portion, and the second end of the tie portion is retained by the tie-retainer when the clip portion is disposed about the first slat and the second slat is retained adjacent to it.
Another aspect of the invention is that it provides a method for retaining a plurality of slats of a vertical blind, and preferably does so in a fashion that prevents blind rattling. This method comprises the steps of: a) providing a clasp having a clip portion for retaining an outer one of the selected plurality of slats and having a string-like tie attached to one of two ends of the clip; b) inserting a portion of the outer one of the selected group of the slats into the clip portion and closing a closure portion of the clip so that the outer one of the slats is clamped between two parallel elongate leg portions of the clip; c) gathering remaining ones of the plurality of slats so that the respective slats are juxtaposed in an abutting relationship to the clip; d) wrapping the string-like tie portion of the clasp around the gathered slats so as to snugly capture them between the tie and the clip; and e) connecting the string-like tie to a tie-retainer portion of the clip and preferably adjusting the tie so as to bind the slats together tightly enough to minimize rattling.
The invention provides yet another method for retaining a plurality of slats of a vertical blind. This method comprises the steps of: a) providing a string-like tie; b) forming, in a selected slat of the plurality of slats, at least one tie retainer for retaining the string-like tie; c) gathering remaining ones of the plurality of slats so that the respective slats are juxtaposed in an abutting relationship to the selected slat; and d) wrapping the string-like tie around the gathered slats and retaining it with the at least one tie retainer so as to snugly hold the remaining ones of the plurality of slats in the abutting relationship.
One of the features of a preferred slat retaining arrangement of the invention is that a portion of the retaining mechanism, e.g., the clip, can be left attached to one slat of a group of slats even when the slats in that group are not retained in a juxtaposed arrangement. That is, the blind can be operated in a conventional fashion after the slat retaining arrangement is installed.